Pronunciation: /ˈdoʊlfəl/

Definitions of doleful

adjective expressing sorrow; mournful

Example Sentences

A1 The puppy's doleful eyes made everyone feel sad.

A2 She sang a doleful song that brought tears to everyone's eyes.

B1 The doleful news of the accident spread quickly throughout the small town.

B2 The doleful expression on his face revealed the depth of his sorrow.

C1 Despite his doleful demeanor, he remained strong in the face of adversity.

C2 The doleful melody of the violin filled the concert hall with a sense of melancholy.

adverb in a sorrowful or mournful manner

Example Sentences

A1 She looked doleful as she walked home in the rain.

A2 The children sang a doleful song at the funeral.

B1 The old man spoke dolefully about his lost youth.

B2 The doleful music filled the room with a sense of melancholy.

C1 Despite his doleful expression, he managed to crack a smile.

C2 The doleful melody of the violin moved the audience to tears.

Examples of doleful in a Sentence

formal The doleful music filled the concert hall, evoking a sense of melancholy among the audience.

informal She looked doleful as she sat alone at the party, sipping her drink quietly.

slang After watching that doleful movie, I was in a real funk for the rest of the day.

figurative The doleful clouds hung low in the sky, as if mourning the loss of the sun.

Grammatical Forms of doleful

past tense

dolefulled

plural

dolefuls

comparative

more doleful

superlative

most doleful

present tense

dolefuls

future tense

will be doleful

perfect tense

have been doleful

continuous tense

is being doleful

singular

doleful

positive degree

doleful

infinitive

to be doleful

gerund

dolefuling

participle

dolefulled

Origin and Evolution of doleful

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'doleful' originated from Middle English, derived from the Old English word 'dolful' which means full of sorrow or grief.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'doleful' has retained its meaning of expressing sorrow or grief, but its usage may have evolved to encompass a wider range of emotions or situations that evoke a sense of sadness or melancholy.